{{Short description|British boxer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2015}} {{Use British English|date=June 2015}} {{Infobox boxer | name = Gus Platts | image = Gus Platte - boxing LCCN2014694652.jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = | realname = Augustus T. Platts | nickname = The Sheffield Blade | weight = Middleweight, welterweight | height = | reach = | nationality = British | birth_date = {{Birth date|df=y|1891|10|24}} | birth_place = Walkley, Sheffield, England | death_date = {{Death date and age|df=y|1942|12|4|1891|10|24}} | death_place = Nottingham, England | style = | total = | wins = | KO = | losses = | draws = | no contests = | medaltemplates = | show-medals = }} upright=1.35|thumb|Training for boxers. George Cook, the Australian heavy weight fights with Frank Goddard. Boxers jump rope. Gus Platts will fight Johnny Basham. Duration: 0:36 minutes. '''Augustus T. Platts''' (24 October 1891 – 4 December 1942) was a British boxer who was British and European middleweight champion.
==Career== Platts' first known fight was in 1910. His first defeat came in December that year to Kid Vinton.<ref>{{cite news |title=Boxing in Newcastle: Gus Platts Meets With His First Defeat |work=Sheffield Evening Telegraph |date=19 December 1910 |accessdate=30 November 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000276/19101219/127/0005| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref> After building up an impressive record, he won the Yorkshire welterweight title in September 1911. In November that year he beat Johnny Basham on points. Undefeated in 1912, he lost in April 1913 to future World welterweight champion Tom McCormick. After a Summer fighting in the US, he fought McCormick again in September, this time winning a 20-round points decision. He travelled to Australia for a series of fights in early 1914. In May 1915 Platts, at the time a Private in the British Army was arrested after a match against Sergeant McCusker after absenting himself without leave to take part in the fight.<ref>{{cite news |title="Gus" Platts Arrested |work=Birmingham Gazette |date=17 May 1915 |accessdate=30 November 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000669/19150517/093/0003| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref> In August 1915 he beat Tom Gummer and in December 1916 he drew with Basham.<ref>{{cite news |title=Basham's Close Call |work=Dundee Courier |date=27 December 1916 |accessdate=30 November 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000276/19171102/059/0003| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref> In November 1917 he beat Noel "Boy" McCormick after the latter broke a bone in his hand punching Platts.<ref>{{cite news |title=Win for Gus Platts |work=Sheffield Evening Telegraph |date=2 November 1917 |accessdate=30 November 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000276/19171102/059/0003| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
Platts won the European middleweight title in February 1921, beating Ercole de Balzac in the 7th round.<ref name="Death">{{cite news |title=Gus Platts Dead |work=Hull Daily Mail |date=7 December 1942 |accessdate=30 November 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000324/19421207/067/0004| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Platts Beats Balzac |work=Dundee Courier |date=22 February 1921 |accessdate=30 November 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000164/19210222/097/0006| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref> He defended the title successfully against Gummer a month later, taking the British title in the process. He lost both titles in May that year after losing to Johnny Basham on points at the Royal Albert Hall.<ref>{{cite news |title=Basham Wins Championship from Platts |work=Hartlepool Mail |date=1 June 1921 |accessdate=30 November 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000378/19210601/125/0005| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref> He again made the trip to the US where he lost to Mike McTigue among others.<ref>{{cite news |title=British Boxers Lose in America |work=Dundee Courier |date=28 September 1921 |accessdate=30 November 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000164/19210928/092/0006| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref> He fought Balzac again in January 1922, this time losing to the Frenchman,<ref>{{cite news |title=Balzac Beats Gus Platts on Points |work=Dundee Evening Telegraph |date=17 January 1922 |accessdate=30 November 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000563/19220117/105/0007| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref> and continued until May that year, his last fight a defeat to Rene DeVos in Antwerp.
Platts had a part in the 1922 film ''The Referee'' playing a boxer, credited as 'Gus Platz'.
He made a comeback to boxing in 1927, winning his first fight back against fellow veteran Harry Reeve.<ref>{{cite news |title=O'Kelly v Gus Platts |work=Hull Daily Mail |date=27 January 1927 |accessdate=30 November 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000324/19270127/042/0008| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref> After a loss to Con O'Kelly and a win over Rocky Knight, his final fight was a loss to future British heavyweight contender Don Shortland on 7 March.
In a career of over 200 fights, Platts was never knocked out.<ref name="Mullan">Mullan, Harry (1997) "[https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/boxing-from-spice-boy-to-man-of-the-world-1268223.html Boxing: From Spice Boy to man of the world]", ''The Independent'', 20 April 1997. Retrieved 30 November 2014</ref>
After retiring from boxing, Platts had a successful career as a wrestler, his first match being in April 1932.<ref name="Mullan" /><ref>{{cite news |title=Gus Platts: Former Boxer Takes up Wrestling |work=Hull Daily Mail |date=13 April 1932 |accessdate=30 November 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000324/19320413/105/0009| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref> He went on to become a boxing manager and promoter, and also a referee.<ref>{{cite news |title=Gus Platts in Derby: Former Champion to Referee Sports Ground Fights |work=Derby Daily Telegraph |date=10 May 1932 |accessdate=30 November 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000520/19320510/071/0009| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
Platts married Grace Gite and after retiring from boxing was a publican, running a public house in Petre Street in Sheffield, before moving to Nottingham where he ran the White Hart Inn in Glasshouse Street.<ref name="Funeral">{{cite news |title=Funeral of Mr. Gus Platts |work=Nottingham Evening Post |date=9 December 1942 |accessdate=30 November 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000321/19421209/019/0004| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
Gus Platts died on 4 December 1942 in a Nottingham hospital after a long illness;<ref>"Sheffield Telegraph Obituaries 1850 - c. 1970 Surnames P - T", sheffield.gov.uk. Retrieved 30 November 2014</ref> he was 51.<ref name="Death" /><ref name="Funeral" /> His funeral was held at Wilford Hill.<ref name="Funeral" />
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== *[http://www.boxinghistory.org.uk/records/35399-Gus-Platts-Sheffield.pdf Gus Platts career record], boxinghistory.org.uk *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GI6vB6qVOfw ''In Training'' (1921)], British Pathé - footage of Platts and George Cook training
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Platts, Gus}} Category:1891 births Category:1942 deaths Category:Military personnel from Sheffield Category:British Army personnel of World War I Category:British Army soldiers Category:Burials in Nottinghamshire Category:Boxers from Sheffield Category:English male boxers Category:Middleweight boxers Category:Articles containing video clips Category:20th-century English sportsmen